delivering the love of language acquisition

Innovative Spanish Teacher

delivering the love of language acquisition

Amanda Kilburn

The study of a second language should serve the purpose of opening the mind of the learner and instilling a desire to explore the unfamiliar. The acquisition of a second language is to open up new channels of communication. If I can not find a way to interest a student in wanting to communicate in the target language, then I have failed that student.

The Spanish language makes feel like this:

I was always a good student, but not so much a good second language student. I think a lot of it has to do with what musicians call "ear". I did not have a good "ear". But while living in Spain for years, I developed a love and taste for the language and culture that has added richness and texture to my life.

Living and learning makes me feel like this:

Because I was always curious and wanted to learn from people, wanted to hear their stories, to interact, and wanted to know more about anything, really, I was able to absorb the language and culture deeply from my years living in Spain.

I believe it is important to live an engaged and empassioned life. I reflect that in my teaching methods.

Bringing all the best of online education and technology to the face to face classroom

I have trained and taught HS Spanish online for NC Virtual Public Schools as well as in the elementary classroom at the Magnet IB Spanish Language Center where 5th graders finish their 6 years of intensive everyday, every year language program with language skills no High School in our area is delivering. Elementary language teaching has developed my creativity and practice designing interactive activities due to the lack of any text book designed curriculum combined with the age of the students. Online teaching has exposed me to wonderful and ever evolving uses of technology to enhance learning, especially independent, self paced learning. Online learning has some limits, but it brings in a wealth of new possibilities. I think the blended classroom would be a perfect learning/teaching situation where opportunities for differentiation could be maximized.